Dr. Christa Nater
Social & Organizational Psychologist
Stereotypes
Gender stereotypes are consensual beliefs about the typical attributes of women and men, which can have far-reaching consequences because they affect the perception and evaluation of the targets of stereotypes. The thus can limit individuals' possibilities in counter-stereotypical roles and domains, such as women in masculine leadership roles or men in early childcare and education. My research seeks to uncover the origins and consequences of stereotypes by documenting how gender stereotypes vary across both time and cultures.
Eagly, A. H., Nater, C., Miller, D., Kaufmann, M., & Sczesny, S. (2020). Gender stereotypes have changed: A cross-temporal meta-analysis of U.S. public opinion polls from 1946-2018. American Psychologist, 75, 301-315. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000494 (PDF)
Sczesny, S., Nater, C., & Eagly, A. H. (2019). Agency and communion: Their implications for gender stereotypes and gender identities. In A. E. Abele & B. Wojciszke (Eds.), Current Issues in Social Psychology: Agency and Communion in Social Psychology (pp. 103-116). New York, NY: Routledge. (PDF)
Sczesny, S.*, Nater, C.*, Rudman, L., Lohmore, A., Malayeri, S., Sakallı, N., Saxler, F., & Gustafsson Sendén, M. (revise and resubmit). How women and men should (not) be: Gender rules and their alignment with status beliefs in seven nations. Psychology of Women Quarterly.
Nater, C., & Eagly, A. H. (under review). The fragility of scientific knowledge: A case study of miscitation of findings on gender stereotypes
Women in leadership and STEM
Women make up only 8% of CEOs in large companies (i.e., S&P 500; Catalyst, 2023). Yet, occupational segregation is known to hinder the inclusion of talented people, curtail economic growth, and thwart the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (World Economic Forum, 2020). My research evaluates the effectiveness of gender diversity interventions and organizational policies aimed at increasing women's representation and success in masculine roles and domains. In my work, I examine both potential benefits as well as unintended negative consequences.
Nater, C., Eagly, A. H., Heilman, M. E., Messerli-Bürgy, N., & Sczesny, S. (2024). Emphasizing the communal demands of a leader role makes job interviews less stressful for women but not more successful. Sex Roles. Advanced Online. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-024-01509-7 (PDF comes soon)
Zehnter, M., & Nater, C. (2024). Beyond being beneficiaries: Two mechanisms explain women’s more favorable explicit and implicit attitudes toward women quotas. European Journal of Social Psychology. Advanced Online. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.3113 (PDF)
Nater, C., Heilman, M. E., & Sczesny, S. (2023). Footsteps I would like to follow? How gender quotas affect the acceptance of women leaders as role models and inspirations for leadership. European Journal of Social Psychology, 53, 129-146. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2892 (PDF)
Nater, C., & Sczesny, S. (2016). Affirmative action policies in job advertisements for leadership positions: How they affect women’s and men’s inclination to apply. European Journal of Social Psychology, 46, 891-902. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2200 (PDF)
Nater, C., Schmader, T., Koyama, J., Hall W. (in prep.). Inclusive cultures in STEM free women (and men): Implications for dominant leadership, career constraints, and students’ grades.
Men in care-oriented careers
Only 7% of early childcare educators are men (U.S. data; OECD, 2020). An increased representation of men in healthcare, early education and domestic (HEED) careers would greatly benefit men, women, and society at large. For many men, disengagement with communal roles begins in childhood and continues into adulthood, constraining boys’ career preferences and men’s occupational choices. In this line of research, my collaborators and I identify obstacles to men’s engagement and lay out evidence-based recommendations for encouraging greater gender diversity in care-oriented careers.
Haines, S., Nater, C., & Sczesny, S. (2024). Creating a System That Cares: A PRISMA Review and Road Map to Increase Men’s Representation in Early Childhood Education and Care. Psychology of Men and Masculinities. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000486 (PDF)
Sczesny, S., Nater, C., & Haines, S. (2021). Perceived to be incompetent, but not a risk: Why men are evaluated as less suitable for childcare work than women. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 52, 693-703. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12845 (PDF)
Haines, S. , Hegarty, P., Nater, C., Sczesny, S., & Graf, S. (in prep.) More interested than they think: Pluralistic ignorance, sexual orientation and men’s perceptions of childcare work.
Broader Societal Issues
Schmader, T., & Nater, C. (2024) Gender. In D. Gilbert, S. T. Fiske, E. Finkel, W. B. Mendes (Eds), The Handbook of Social Psychology (p. 1 - 125). Princeton, N. J.: Princeton University Library (PDF comes soon)
Malayeri, S., Nater, C., Krahé, B., Vandello, J., & Sczesny, S. (in press). Married or on a date: Cultural norms and gender differences in rape perception in an Iranian sample. Journal of Sexual Aggression. (PDF comes soon)
Malayeri, S., Nater, C., Krahé, B., Sczesny, S. (2022). Sexual aggression among women and men in an Iranian sample: Prevalence and correlates. Sex Roles, 87, 139-153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-022-01312-2 (PDF)
Nater, C., & Zell, E. (2015). Accuracy of social perception: An integration and review of meta-analyses. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 9, 481-494. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12194 (PDF)
Dorrough, A. R.*, Nater, C.*, Eagly, A. H., Miller, D. I., Greitemeyer, T., & Kastenmüller A. (revise and resubmit). Exposure to misogynous media relates to greater hostility toward women: A meta-analysis of 227 studies. Psychological Bulletin.